This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Saint Francis Xavier School teacher wins award

Mrs. Mary Kate O'Mara, an 8th grade English teacher at St. Francis Xavier School in La Grange, was recently awarded the "Nick Iosue Outstanding Teacher Award" from Mount Carmel High School.

Mrs. Mary Kate O’Mara, an 8th grade English teacher at St. Francis Xavier School in La Grange, was recently awarded the “Nick Iosue Outstanding Teacher Award” from Mount Carmel High School.

This award is named after a teacher who taught at Mount Carmel for over 30 years and dedicated his life to helping students achieve their full potential.  It is given to grammar school teachers who embody those same characteristics and who have shaped the lives of current Mount Carmel students.

Tommy Dillon, a St. Francis Xavier School graduate and freshman at Mount Carmel, was given the opportunity to write a paper nominating a teacher he felt worthy of winning the Nick Iosue award.  In his paper, Tommy shared stories highlighting the tremendously positive impact Mrs. O’Mara had on him during his 8th grade year at St. Francis Xavier. Out of 35 total nominees, Mrs. O’Mara was one of four selected to win.

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ms. Deb Rodde, principal of St. Francis Xavier, shared, “Mrs. O’Mara is a gift to St. Francis Xavier School. Her incredible enthusiasm in sharing works of literature and her seemingly effortless ability to engage her students in creative and dynamic projects is a blessing. We have always known what a treasure Mrs. O’Mara is, and we are thrilled to see her receive this special recognition!”

St. Francis Xavier Parish School prides itself on providing its 600+ children from preschool through 8th grade with a strong academic and faith foundation while instilling a sense of service by giving back to others.  The curriculum of St. Francis Xavier School meets and exceeds the requirements set forth by both the State of Illinois and the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office of Catholic Education.  For more information, please visit our website at www.sfx-lg.org or contact our Advancement Director, Jennifer Courier at 708-352-2175.

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?